don’t expect reason in the Interview Process

This is a follow-up to the Reflections on Strategy Discussions post. A further reflection on interviewing now that I have some actual feedback.

Think: No reason or rhyme.

So. If you think about interviews too much your head will explode. That is about the best advice I can give you about interviewing. A couple of things now that I have actually put my resume into the ocean of other resumes in the marketplace.

First. A fresh resume is like fresh meat.

Think of it like sharks smelling fresh blood. Regardless of the current economy there are a lot of companies looking for people out there. In addition there are the executive search people (I read somewhere  think in The Economist that total searches are down but most companies’ profitability is up) who make their living off placing people. A new resume on the market is something they all seem to look at (or at least it feels that way with the sheer number of questions and resume ‘hits’ I received in week one alone and while week 2 wasn’t as high it still was higher than I thought it would be).

Having been a business development director I know at this stage you cannot have the attitude of “you know I am not feeling like I am a good fit for what you are asking me” when you get a contact (even though in your wildest imagination you cannot figure out why they would be interested in you for that particular opportunity) but rather “well, here is the honest answer and maybe also think about this.”

At this stage I can’t think about it as interviewing but rather “educating the gatekeeper community” so I can get in the consideration set at some point if the right opportunity appears. The best advice I give most people here is don’t get too anxious for fighting for a face-to-face (or an interview) but rather give as much relevant information as you possibly can so they understand you are qualified.

This part seems reasonable to me. But. Here is where reason gets thrown a curveball.

Second. The face to face.

Wow. No reason to the rhyme. Over past couple of weeks I have talked to two companies about basically the same position (had the same title and basic responsibilities). They were basically the same (same industry, one was a little larger in organization size then the other, pretty much the same philosophically and culture type). Met face to face with both. Said pretty much the same to both (it is actually kind of amazing how often people ask the same types of questions and want to discuss similar things if you are talking about similar responsibilities). And I have already written about how I didn’t feel like it went particularly well (the discussions) with either.

So the net result?

The slightly smaller organization suggested I wasn’t qualified enough for the opportunity (saying that there were several other candidates that were very qualified they were interested in more than me) and the slightly larger organization suggesting I was over qualified for the opportunity (basically saying just that). And these conversations (one by email and one by phone) happened in a 48 hour span. And let’s be clear, I did not meet enough people to even be able to assess from my own perspective the chemistry aspect of the overall organization with me. (so I would be hesitant to suggest they would know for sure).

So. The one I would have guessed I was overqualified for thought I was not qualified enough and the vice versa on the other (which makes me wish I had more vices to help me think my way through it).

Once again. Your head will explode if you try and figure out the logic behind the interviewing process.

I have walked out of interviews in my life feeling like I have nailed it and received the “sorry, loved you but don’t love you enough” as well as I have walked out feeling like my follow-up would have to be Mensalike to get back in the game and received a “loved you and lets show you how much we love you.” It’s a wacky thing this whole interviewing thing. Not a lot of reason to it. But lots of reasons to drink.